Hassan puts Hampstead’s season back on track

A WELL-CRAFTED knock of 78 from Mubasher Hassan helped Hampstead pick up a much-needed win in the Premier Division of the Middlesex County Cricket League on Saturday.

Having won the toss, skipper Liam Hughes sent his troops into bat first at their home ground in Lymington Road, West Hampstead, as they went in search of a vital victory against Brondesbury, having lost their previous four league outings.

It looked like it was going to be a long afternoon for the hosts when opener George Adair was caught by Mohammed Rizvi off the bowling of Sam Smith, departing with just two runs to his name.

Fellow opener Garth Davson was soon following his team-mate back to the dressing room after he was dismissed LBW by Smith having scored just 12.

And the visitors didn’t have to wait long before claiming another scalp as Steve Clark managed just three runs before being bowled by Adam Wilson, leaving Hampstead struggling on 38-3.

The boys from NW3 desperately needed some stability, and it arrived courtesy of a partnership between Sam Evison and Hassan – the pair adding over 40 runs to the total before being separated.

Evison scored 46 off 60 balls, including nine fours, before being caught by Smith off Wilson’s bowling. But it was Hassan’s innings of 78 off 92 balls, a knock which, like Evison’s, saw the batsman find the boundary nine times, that started to ignite belief that a home win was looming.

Will Roberts

Hassan was eventually bowled out by Smith, but not before helping his team recover from a bad start to reach almost 200 runs.

With wicketkeeper Ollie Steele showing his skills with the bat late on to score 46 off 74 balls, Hampstead managed to find their way to 282 before being dismissed in the 66th over.

The impressive Smith, who ended with figures of 3-87 with the ball in his hand, did his best to drive Brondesbury to victory as he came in middle order to score 71 off 73 balls, a rapid knock that included 11 fours and a six.

But when he was bowled by Will Roberts, the away side’s chances of claiming the win went with him.

Instead it was the Hampstead bowlers who came out on top, with Roberts taking four wickets at the expense of just 51 runs, while Clark (2-23) and Chris Beaumont-Dark (2-20) took two wickets each as Brondesbury were bowled out for 174.

Meanwhile, North Middlesex now find themselves 17 points behind league leaders Ealing after suffering a three-wicket defeat in their home match against Stanmore.

Having been put into bat first, North Midd’s innings lasted less than 35 overs as they were bowled out for 154. A score of 57 from the in-form Evan Flowers gave the hosts a glimmer of hope of taking something from the game in a low-scoring encounter at their Park Road ground.

Those hopes were dashed, however, when Jason Shield and Kush Patel hit knocks of 46 and 40 respectively to help Stanmore to a winning score of 155-7.